RECS #2
Music, words, and films for the month of March
They say never release a newsletter on a Friday. No one will read it. Let’s put it to the test.
I noticed an influx of new subscribers in the last week. Welcome. If you’re new here, my writings are usually the result of me digging into my depths and sharing what I find, but once a month, I’m keeping it light and sharing some recommendations based on what I’ve been listening to, reading, and watching. Just so we’re all on the same page, you’re never going to find any hot takes in here. It’s strictly recommendations. The world has enough takes, and it does not need any hot ones from me.
MUSIC
March had me overwhelmed with new releases. I did the new Brittany Howard record and my choice cut from that has to be “Power to Undo”. I also did the new Kacey Musgraves, who can do no wrong in my eyes. Or my ears. My favorite on that record was the closer, “Nothing To Be Scared Of”. The record feels less like a country record and more like a folk album to me, with traces of Joni Mitchell and classic American folk music I remember hearing as a kid. I really dig it.
In a potentially embarrassing admission, I just discovered Creedence Clearwater Revival. I’m not even kidding. Listen, I was raised on motown and soul. Jethro Tull was one of maybe three rock records in my dad’s collection. When he bought me my first guitar, I found all the classic rock stuff that you have to learn as a beginner. AC/DC, Zeppelin, Hendrix, etc. But John Fogarty wasn’t gracing the cover of Guitar World magazine, so it just never hit my radar. If you want to feel American—to travel back to a place in time when being patriotic was kind of cool and chanting “America” didn’t have everyone questioning if you were racist—turn on some CCR. Also, it’s undeniably perfect roadtrip music.
FILM / TV
I feel like we’re all so inundated with streaming service offerings that feel borderline disposable. It’s so easy to ingest film after film and not even remember what the hell you watched at the end of the week. I guess that’s the point for some people—to go numb for a few hours. But I don’t like that feeling, so when I can’t find something that entices me, I watch old films or re-watch stuff I love rather than settle for bullshit.
I decided to do The Sting a few weeks ago. I’m aware this is not a hidden gem, but I’d never seen it. If you’re not familiar, it’s a 1973 film about the ultimate con, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, who just ooze cool throughout the whole film. I was in love the minute I saw the title cards (see below). Again, the old stuff really makes you feel differently. The pacing, the dialogue, the colors. It all adds up to a very unique experience that I rarely get from contemporary films. That sounds so obnoxious but I’m going to trust you know what I mean.
As far as new stuff goes, I’m loving Shōgun. It’s beautiful to look at and the writing is really great too. I sometimes struggle with historically based films and shows because my brain is constantly saying, “wait but did that really happen?” Considering this story is based on a book from the 70s that was already taking creative liberties, I’ve been able to suspend disbelief a bit. Regardless of what percentage is real, it’s really great.
WORDS
I’m halfway through David Milch’s memoir, aptly titled “Life’s Work”, which was a gift from a friend. If you don’t know who he is, neither did I. He’s most famous for writing the shows NYPD Blue and Deadwood, and because I’d never seen either of those shows, I was curious as to why my friend gifted me this book. It took about 5 pages to fall in love with Milch’s writing, and upon flipping to the book jacket and realizing he graduated from Yale, then later lectured and taught there, I realized you don’t need to know his work to be invested here. His whole purpose for writing the book is that he’s diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and he wants to get everything down on paper before it disappears. He has lived a life that makes you wonder how he possibly survived past 30. It’s an unbelievable and inspiring story, and for those who like reading about writers, a great read. I’ll leave you with a quote from Milch: